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Private Tour: Istanbul’s Ottoman Experience Including Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque

15 Reviews 4.53 out of 5 stars Based on 15 reviews collected by City Boat Tours and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 93% of reviewers |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Istanbul, Turkey

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4 hours (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation

Overview

Discover three top Istanbul attractions in the city’s UNESCO-listed Sultanahmet neighborhood on a 4-hour private tour! While learning about the Ottoman days of Istanbul, when the city was known as Constantinople, visit the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Hear tales of the extravagant sultans who typified the city under Ottoman rule, and ogle incredible architecture and artifacts inside each of the city landmarks.

What's Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Guaranteed to skip the long ticket lines
  • Local guide
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Entrance to Harem Section in Topkapi Palace
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Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

What To Expect

Hippodrome

Hop out of your minivan in Sultanahmet, Istanbul’s UNESCO-listed historical heart, and wander through the Hippodrome — your first attraction of the tour. The hub of daily life during its Ottoman-era heyday, the Hippodrome was once a vast arena with galleries where people from all walks of life would gather for political meetings, chariot races and even riots. Today, the historical site exists as a city park that’s popular with locals and visitors alike. Pose for photos in front of the Obelisk of Theodosius, a gift to the city from Egypt, and then continue by foot to the nearby Blue Mosque.
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Blue Mosque

After marveling at the mosque’s iconic six minarets, head inside the famous place of worship to see the thousands of Iznik tiles that cascade a sea of blue throughout the building’s interior. An incredible example of classical Ottoman architecture, the Blue Mosque was built on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I who demanded a place of worship to rival the grandeur of the Hagia Sophia — another of Sultanahmet’s impressive mosques.
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45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Topkapi Palace

Take some time to explore inside with your private guide, and then walk over to Topkapi Palace, the final attraction visited on your tour. Once the lavish abode of eccentric 15th-century sultans and their harems, Topkapi Palace now leads a tamer existence as one of the city’s top museums. Browse the exhibits that feature artifacts and ornamentation from Ottoman days, and hear colorful stories about the characters who lived in one of Istanbul’s most ostentatious palaces.
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1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Sultanahmet District

Leave Topkapi Palace, and stroll the short distance to your minivan to finish your tour with a drop-off at your European-side hotel or at the start point in the center of town.Please note: On Fridays the Blue Mosque will be closed until 2.30pm for prayer, this will be replaced with a visit to Rustem Pasha Mosque
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

German Fountain

It was built in Germany and moved by ships and its construction was completed in Istanbul.
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10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hagia Irene Museum

The Hagia Irene located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine).
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30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Obelisk of Theodosius

Obelisk of Theodosius: obelisk, originally erected for king Thutmose III of Egypt but transferred to Constantinople
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15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Confirmation for this product will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
  • In the event of any museum or mosque closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Private Tour: Istanbul’s Ottoman Experience Including Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-3795IST_P02

Reviews

4.53
15 reviews

Average 4.53 out of 5 stars based on 15 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

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What's Included

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Guaranteed to skip the long ticket lines
  • Local guide
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Entrance to Harem Section in Topkapi Palace

Additional Info

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Confirmation for this product will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
  • In the event of any museum or mosque closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
  • Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
  • During religious holidays July 28, 29 and 30 and October 4, 5, 6 and 7, 2014 the Spice market and Grand Bazaar will be closed

Report Product Issue

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

Free Cancellation

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

100% refund
No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03).

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American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

American Museum of Natural History Admission Ticket

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